Shadow box with locking dust flaps

ABSTRACT

A carton is formed from a precut and prescored blank to provide a hollow body having front and rear panels joined by side panels, and ends closed by interlocking flap means. One end, usually the top, is closed by two infolded dust flaps and an overlying tuckin flap means. Each of the dust flaps has a recess cut into the edge facing the front panel so as to form inner and outer tabs along that edge. The tuck-in portion of the overlying flap has a recess or opening cut into it to provide two tab formations. When the flaps are infolded to close the carton, each of the tab formations on the tuck-in portion fits into the recess of its associated dust flap. A locking slit is formed at each end of the score line which hinges the tuck-in portion of the overlying flap, which slits interlock with the outer tab on each of the dust flaps upon full insertion of the tuck-in portion. The erected carton may be converted into a shadow box for displaying the merchandise by separating the front panel into two portions and folding such portions and the top locked flap means inwardly, whereby a mitered frame effect is formed in back of the displayed merchandise.

United States Patent [72] inventor Homer Martelli Westwood, NJ. [211 App]. No. 813,842 [22] Filed Apr. 7, 1969 [45] Patented May 11, 1971 [73] Assignee Union Camp Corporation a New York, N.Y.

[54] SHADOW BOX WITH LOCKING DUST FLAPS 1 Claim, 5 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. (I 206145.14, 206/45.31, 229/39 [51] Int. Cl B65d 5/50, 865d 5/ 10 [50] Field of Search 206/45.14, 45.31; 229/39 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,292,777 12/ 1966 Desmond 206/45.14 3,270,867 9/1966 l-lennessey et a1. 206/45.l4 3,029,998 4/1962 Taylor.. 229/39(B) 2,426,865 9/1947 Fink 206/45.14

2,116,652 5/1938 Adler ABSTRACT: A carton is formed from a precut and prescored blank to provide a hollow body having front and rear panels joined by side panels, and ends closed by interlocking flap means. One end, usually the top, is closed by two infolded dust flaps and an overlying tuck-in flap means. Each of the dust flaps has a recess cut into the edge facing the front panel so as to form inner and outer tabs along that edge. The tuck-in portion of the overlying flap has a recess or opening cut into it to provide two tab formations. When the flaps are infolded to close the carton, each of the tab formations on the tuck-in portion fits into the recess of its associated dust flap. A locking slit is formed at each end of the score line which hinges the tuck-in portion of the overlying flap, which slits interlock with the outer tab on each of the dust flaps upon full insertion of the tuck-in portion. The erected carton may be converted into a shadow box for displaying the merchandise by separating the front panel into two portions and folding such portions and the top locked flap means inwardly, whereby a mitered frame effect is formed in back of the displayed merchandise.

Patentedi May 1-1, 1971 3,578,154

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I "EIEIYIII mvemon 0mm mmu ATTORNEYS SIIADOW BOX WITH LOCKING DUST FLAPS This invention relates to an article display container which is modified in a special manner to exhibit the article in a mitered frame effect, which has the appearance of a shadow box.

Shadow boxes are widely used in displaying various types of cosmetics, drugs and similar articles to enhance their appearance.

An object of this invention is to provide a combined shipping and display carton which, when set up with the article therein, forms a shadow box structure.

Another object is to provide a blank which can be erected by available machinery into carton form with the end flaps infolded and interlocked.

A further object is to provide a carton with dust flaps having recessed formed in one of their ends. The recesses received tabs formed on the tuck-in flap means overlying the dust flaps. Such structure causes a better interlocking effect between the flaps than in the prior art.

A further object is to provide dust and tuck-in flaps on a shadow box carton which cooperate to effectively seal the carton during shipment and look the tuck-in flaps to form the shadow box display and maintain it squared and straight.

Another object is to form a flap system for a shadow box carton which maintains the shadow box sides square and straight and prevents distortion of the same.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The Fink US. Pat. No. 2,426,865 shows a display container with tuck flaps which engage cutaway portions of side flaps. However, these cutaway portions are not comparable to the recess of the side flaps of the present invention. The cooperating dust flaps and tuck flap of the present invention lock the carton to form a shadow box for display of a product and to maintain such carton in a squared and straight shape free of distortion. Such shadow box holds the product in place and is attractive for impulse buying. The Fink container is functional to stabilize products in transit and needs an outside cover or sleeve.

The invention accordingly comprises an article of manufacture possessing the features, properties, and the relation of elements which will be exemplified in the article hereinafter described and the scope of the invention which will be indicated in the claims. For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is plan view of a blank, cut, slit and scored, which, when set up, will form a shadow box embodying the principles of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a partly folded carton with the flap portions of the front panel omitted to show the interior partition and the end flaps of the carton before the tucking in of the flaps takes place;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the infolding sequence of the end flaps;

FIG. 4 shows the erected shadow ready for display purposes; and,

FIG. 5 is a modification of the tuck-in flap means. The blank The blank further comprises sides 7 and 8, rear panel 9 and adhesive flap 10,, hinged along score linesS, 4,-16 and 11, respectively. Flap 12, having the configurations as shown in FIG. 1, is hinged to flap 10 along score line 13 and serves a partition and support in the interior of the erected shadow box. A bonding flap 15 is hinged to flap 12 along score line 14 to bond and space flap 12 within the carton. 9

One of the essential features of the invention is the end flap structure comprising end dust flaps 18 and 19 and tuck-in flap means 20. Flap 18 has a recess 21 cut into its edge and flap 19 has a similar recess 22 therein. Flap has a tuck-in portion 23 formed'along score line 24. Each end of score line 24 ends in a lock slit 25 extending a relatively small distance from an edge of flap 20. Tuck-in portion 23 has a recess 28 cut into its end, preferably of semicircular configuration, the recess forming tabs 29 and 30 at the end of portion 23. In setting up the carton, tabs 29 and 30 fit into recesses 21 and 22, as shown in FIG. 3, and, together with slits 25 and the tab portions 32 and 32a on dust flaps 18 and 19, form an effective end closure for protecting the article and for maintaining the carton in proper shape for shipping and display purposes. The outer tabs 32a interlock with slits 25 and the inner tabs 32 engage flap portion 23 at about score line 24 and maintain the flap assembly in fixed position, thereby maintaining the erected carton square and straight with no distortion of the body portions.

Cut line 34 separates flaps 19 and 20, and flaps I8, 19 and 20 are folded along score lines 33, 35 and 36, respectively.

The bottom end closure of the carton is formed by dust flaps 38, and tuck-in flap 39. Cut lines 41 and 42 separate flaps 38, 39 and 40. Tuck flap 39 has tuck-in portion 44 hinged along score line 43. Short slits 45 are formed in flap 39 in alignment with score line 43. Flaps 38, 39 and 40 are hinged at of FIG. I is made of paperboard stock or similar material, of

suitable weight for the intended article to be packaged therein. The paperboard may be coated or plain, and may be decorated as desired. The blank comprises a front panel I having two flap portions 2 and 3 separated by cut'line 6 and foldable along score lines 4 and 5. Flaps 2 and 3 are joined together along cut line 6 to form a front closure during shipping and storage. Such joining means may be in the form of an easily removable adhesive tape along a portion or portions of cut line 6, perforation, or connecting portions along the line to hold the flaps joined until it is desired to separate and infold them forsetting up the shadow box display. Portions 2 and 3 have such configurations that when the carton is erected into its shadow box display formation, the portions from the mitercd sides of the frame, as shown in FIG. 4.

score lines 48, 49 and 50. As shown in FIG. 1, the dust flaps 38 and 40 have tab formations 52 formed on their vertical free edges.

In forming the blank into a flat tube for shipment to a packer or user, the blank is first folded inwardly along score line 13, so that flaps l2 and 15 overlie the interior surface of panel 9 and flap l0, and adhesive is applied to the outer surface of flap 15. The blank is then further folded inwardly along score line 16 and flap l5 bonded to the interior surface of side 8, so that flaps 15, 12, 10 and 9 will overlie side 8 and panel 1. Adhesive is applied to the outer surface of flap 10, and flap 7 is folded over along score line 5 and bonded to flap 10, thus completing the tube.

The packer can complete the setting up of the tube into a carton by applying pressure against the score lines 5 and 16 until the sides 7 and 8 are perpendicular to the front panel 1 and the rear panel 9. This also serves to set up the interior partition 12 of the carton. Of course, it will be understood that such interior partition is not a part of present invention and may be varied for the particular article to be held in the carton. Dust flaps 38 and 40 are folded along score lines 48 and 50 to form the bottom closure, and thereafter flap 39 is tucked in by inserting portion 44 between the back panel 9 and flaps 38 and 40 with slits 45 engaging tab formations 52 to interlock with them, thereby locking the bottom flap in a more positive fashion and forming an effective end closure for the carton.

The step of closing the top of the carton is illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG. 2 shows front flap portions 2 and 3 partially removed to disclose the manner of securing flap 15 to side 8 to form the inner partition. At this stage front flap portions 2 and 3 are held together along the line 6 as shown in FIG. 1. Dust flaps 18 and 19 are folded inwardly, and thereafter flap portion 23 is infolded with tab 29 entering recess 21 of flap 18 and tab 30 entering recess 22 of flap 19. FIG. 3 shows the folding of tabs 29 and 30 of tuck-in flap portion 23 within the recesses 21 and 22. When the flaps are fully folded, slots 25 of flap 20 interlock with outer tabs 32a of dust flaps l8 and 19 and the inner tabs 32 engage tuck-in flap portion 23 along score line 24 to firmly support the flap means. This interlocking construction forms a top closure which maintains the shape of the carton during shipping and storage.

For display purposes, flaps 2 and 3 are separated along their cut line 6. Flaps 2, 3 and 23 are then folded back into the interior of the carton to give a mitered frame effect, as shown in FIG. 4. Slits 25 further interlock with tabs 32a and interacting flaps 18, 19 and 23 maintain the erected carton in square, straight line, display position, with no distortion. The article in the carton, which may be a bottle, tube, or similar container, is then placed in front of folded flaps 2 and 3. The overall effect is that the merchandise appears to be framed in a shadow box.

FIG. discloses a different embodiment of the tuck flap means. In lieu of the recess 28 in flap 23 of FIGS. 1-4, a circular aperture 60 is formed therein. Portions 61 and 62 of flap 23 form tab means functionally similar to flaps 29 and 30 of FIGS. 1-4. The above structure of flap 23 gives a more rigid structure to the set up carton, especially when it is erected for display purposes.

Since certain changes may be made in the above article, and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description (or shown in the accompanying drawing) shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

I. In a display carton having front, rear, top and bottom panels and side panels joined to the front and rear panels, said front panel having inwardly folding flap portions separated by a. vertical cut line which extends from the top of the front panel down to a transverse out line spaced from the bottom of the front panel, said flap portions folding inwardly from the side panels to frame an object which is displayed in said carton above said transverse cut line, said bottom panel including a bottom end closure to maintain the erected carton square and straight, that improvement comprising:

diagonally cut top edges of said inwardly folding front panel portions; top side flaps folding inwardly along hinges from the side panels and a tuck-in flap projecting above said top panel which folds inwardly along a transverse hinge line at the top of the closed carton; said top side flaps being formed with arcuate recesses at their front edge portions defining pairs of locking tabs which assist in maintaining the top of the carton square; said top tuck-in flap defining an opening having tab means at the sides thereof which fit into said arcuate recesses in said top side flaps, whereby the infolding of said top side flaps under said top panel and the infolding of said front diagonally cut flap portions with said top tuck-in flap also folded inwardly provide a framed shadow box for the displayed object securely held in said carton. 

1. In a display carton having front, rear, top and bottom panels and side panels joined to the front and rear panels, said front panel having inwardly folding flap portions separated by a vertical cut line which extends from the top of the front panel down to a transverse cut line spaced from the bottom of the front panel, said flap portions folding inwardly from the side panels to frame an object which is displayed in said carton above said transverse cut line, said bottom panel including a bottom end closure to maintain the erected carton square and straight, that improvement comprising: diagonally cut top edges of said inwardly folding front panel portions; top side flaps folding inwardly along hinges from the side panels and a tuck-in flap projecting above said top panel which folds inwardly along a transverse hinge line at the top of the closed carton; said top side flaps being formed with arcuate recesses at their front edge portions defining pairs of locking tabs which assist in maintaining the top of the carton square; said top tuck-in flap defining an opening having tab means at the sides thereof which fit into said arcuate recesses in said top side flaps, whereby the infolding of said top side flaps under said top panel and the infolding of said front diagonally cut flap portions with said top tuck-in flap also folded inwardly provide a framed shadow box for the displayed object securely held in said carton. 